Keilah
Meaning of Keilah
As a feminine appellation with ancient roots, Keilah derives from the Hebrew keiláh, signifying “citadel” or “fortress,” and originally designated a Judean town in biblical narrative where themes of communal refuge and deliverance converge. Etymologically, its semantic core resonates with the Latin notion of moenia—city walls—imbuing the name with classical gravitas that appeals to scholarly sensibilities. Phonetically, Keilah surfaces in English as KEE-luh (/ˈki.lə/) while retaining its original keh-EE-lah (/keɪˈlɑː/) cadence in Hebrew, a duality that fuses contemporary clarity with ancestral rhythm. Although Keilah has hovered modestly within the US Social Security rankings—oscillating between the mid-800s and low-900s since the late 20th century and most recently accounting for 30 births (rank 920) in 2024—its persistence reveals a pattern of selective adoption by parents drawn to names of historical depth. In Latin American contexts, its sonorous vowels and consonantal harmony align seamlessly with Romance-language aesthetics, further enhancing its cross-cultural appeal for those seeking a name that marries lyrical elegance with enduring symbolism.
Pronunciation
American English
- Pronunced as KEE-luh (/ˈki.lə/)
Hebrew
- Pronunced as keh-EE-lah (//keɪˈlɑː//)
U.S. Popularity Chart
